ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · fan · land · wave · cue · cap · can · branch

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. can — to be able to
  3. land — ground
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. branch — a division
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. land — a country
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cap — a lid
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — in cards
  17. land — to come down
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com